The results are in from the latest Monkey poll. By a one vote margin, Charlie Chaplin's The Circus is your favorite movie set in a circus.The Elephant Man was second, Disney's animated classic Dumbo was third, and Tod Browning's cult classic Freaks was fourth. The Greatest Show on Earth and the Marx Brother's At the Circus finished far behind.
One commenter, however, "Anonymous," aka "my little brother," argues that the best circus movie of all time wasn't even in the poll: "I have a write-in candidate for greatest circus movie - "Big Top Bunny" - starring Bugs Bunny and Bruno, the high-flying trapeze artist bear - blessed with the gift of speech (with a Russian accent no less). Now THAT's quality my friends...."As always, we here at the Monkey encourage you to judge for yourself:
Indeed, if you really want to judge for yourself, Erik Beck (of the Boston Becks) has alerted us to Turner Classic Movie's Sunday evening schedule which is devoted to circus-related movies. TCM kicks off the proceedings with none other than the Chaplin film that won our little poll.
From TCM's website:
Sunday, July 24, 2012
8:00 PM The Circus (1928)
In this silent film, the Little Tramp joins a circus to hide from the police.
Dir: Charles Chaplin Cast: Charles Chaplin, Merna Kennedy, Betty Morrissey. BW-72 mins
9:30 PM The Big Circus (1959)
A ringleader tries to keep his circus on the road despite the efforts of a saboteur.
Dir: Joseph M. Newman Cast: Victor Mature, Red Buttons, Rhonda Fleming. C-108 mins
11:30 PM The Circus Clown (1934)
A young man defies his father's wishes to join the circus.
Dir: Ray Enright Cast: Joe E. Brown, Patricia Ellis, Dorothy Burgess. BW-65 mins
12:45 AM Laugh, Clown, Laugh (1928)
In this silent film, a circus clown falls for a young innocent in love with another.
Dir: Herbert Brenon Cast: Lon Chaney, Bernard Siegel, Loretta Young. BW-74 mins
2:15 AM La Strada (1954)
A traveling strongman buys a peasant girl to be his wife and co-star.
Dir: Federico Fellini Cast: Anthony Quinn, Giulietta Masina, Richard Basehart. BW-108 mins
4:15 AM Merry Andrew (1958)
An archaeologist's search for Roman treasure gets him mixed up with a circus troupe.
Dir: Michael Kidd Cast: Danny Kaye, Pier Angeli, Baccaloni. C-103 mins Letterbox Format
The three I'd really encourage you to see are The Circus, Laugh, Clown, Laugh and La Strada, classics all. Hey, and now that Mad Men is done for the season, you have no excuses, right?
Monty! I was handed this blogging baton and now I'm handing it to you. (Hope ya don't mind!) You can find the details here: http://theswingmood.blogspot.com/2012/06/ten-best-actresses-of-all-time-relay.html
ReplyDeleteIt's ruther simple - get rid of an actress, pick another to replace her, pass it on. :D Hope you'll participate!!!
I will give it a whirl in as reasonably short order as I can possibly make it!
ReplyDeleteYou and that goddamned Beck. . . .
ReplyDeleteLaugh Monkey Laugh.
Laugh Beck Laugh.
You boys have an unhealthy obsession with that fruit Chaney
Aargh
Actually, Doug, I so enjoy sparring with you, I have been inspired to write a piece (which won't be done for at least a couple of weeks due to other factors) on the great charismatic action stars - the ones who never got the awards adolation - but got the babes and the bucks (and for good reason). I'm beginning with you, and definitely including Flynn, McQueen and Ford. So it's not all about Chaney. Just often.
ReplyDelete